November saw the beginning of the annual prayer ministry school and the students, aged between 18 and 60+ are potentially the best group we have had over the years. The basic training course consists of approx sixteen evenings.

Anne Galway and Mollie Regan completed the training for potential prayer ministry team members at Green Pastures Church, and now that the new team has been selected from those who attended the weekly training course, further training will be given on an on going basis.

The husband of our prayer ministry leader has been in hospital for two months having a faulty heart valve fixed and this has necessitated his wife standing down from weekly prayer ministry duties. Another very experienced team member (8 years +) had to stand aside for four weeks to have small surgery attended to, so Linda and found ourselves doing more prayer ministry duties over this period than would be usual. On top of the home renovations this has made for an interesting schedule. As the year draws to a close normal service is beginning to resume.

Christian Restoration in Ireland has been involved with Lifeline ministry in Dublin for nearly four years now. (see previous Newsletters)  In November Linda and I were invited to a celebration evening in Liberty Church where I had the honour of presenting several young men with their certificates for completing six months of the Lifeline course.

It was during this evening that one of the young men from a previous group proudly asked me outside to show me his newly purchased van which was used to work in the building trade with his father. This was his first ever 'legitimate' occupation and was the evidence of the great change Jesus had worked in his life. In the front window was his Bible for all to see. He plans to get married in April and Linda and I will be proud to be amongst his guests. A life truly transformed by the King of kings.

Several weeks later Linda and I then spent three full days at the Dublin Lifeline Centre discipling and ministering to the young men who are currently residential there. The centre exists to allow young men who are drug addicts the opportunity to come in off the streets and stay at the centre to get help from Jesus. This is still my favourite line of ministry and it is not difficult to love the leaders and residents of this centre. Two new men came in off the streets while we were there and Linda and I were given the privilege of praying with them as they asked Jesus to be Lord and Saviour.

On November 10th Linda and I held a one day 'Marriage as God intended' seminar at Green Pastures, attended by approx 60 people. This is much needed teaching in the Body of Christ as  many Christian marriages are not functioning as God intends them to and the damage from separations and divorces is enormous. It is our heart to concentrate more and more on this area of ministry.

January 2008

On January 13th the new 900 seater Green Pastures church opens and the team will be active in the preparations for that.

Pastor Jeff Wright has asked that I begin a new Friday evening teaching programme to continue indefinitely. When I did this earlier in the year the weekly audience was between 200 - 250 people. With church growth since then, and the new church capacity this should prove to be an exciting opportunity. Plans are underway for a one year residential discipleship school in the coming year, but more of that nearer the time.

The weekend after the official opening I plan to lead a team down to 'God's garage' in County Tipperary to teach and minister to the believers in this beautiful part of western Ireland. This is a venue that we always look forward to as the faith, the commitments and the fellowship we see is truly inspiring.

We truly give thanks to God for His mercies, His grace and His favour throughout this year.

May God's richest blessings be yours in the coming year.